User:Drewslash/Breakdancing

Lead Section

 * Appears that they are only crediting specific people with the birth of breakdancing
 * Missing credible references, there are only blog posts
 * Contributions:

The modern dance elements of breakdancing originated in difficult struggling New York during the early 1970s, where it was introduced as breaking. It is closely attributed to the birth of hip-hop, as DJs developed rhythmic breaks for dancers.

The dance form has since expanded globally, with an array of organizations and independent competitions supporting its growth. Breaking will also now featured as an Olympic sport, making its debut in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

History


 * Include more on New York history, block parties, gangs, etc.
 * Elaborate more on the cyphers and gang influence
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These anteceding elements began to take form in the early 1970s, as breaking began to grow at parties featuring DJs and instrumental records. ( https://www.milwaukeemag.com/dont-call-breakdancing-breakings-milwaukee-origin-story/ )

It was at these parties that DJ Kool Herc, a pioneering Bronx based DJ, developed rhythmic breakdown sections by simultaneously switching between two copies of the same record, creating the “breaks”. ( https://www-jstor-org.cooperunion.idm.oclc.org/stable/pdf/20174468.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Aac13ab935aee4f7153cd551afcebaba1&ab_segments=&origin=&acceptTC=1 p. 420)

By looping the records and their simultaneous breaks, he was able to prolong the break and provide a rhythmic and improvisational base for dancers.

( https://web.archive.org/web/20121005093506/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hip-hop-is-born-at-a-birthday-party-in-the-bronx )

“And once they heard that, that was it, wasn't no turning back," Herc tells Jeff Chang in his book “Can’t stop won’t stop”. "They always wanted to hear breaks after breaks after breaks after breaks."  (Chang 2005 p 79)

The onset of breaking prompted dance battles known as cyphers, competitive circles in which participants took turns dancing while surrounded by onlookers.

(https://www-jstor-org.cooperunion.idm.oclc.org/stable/pdf/23216052.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Adbe63b379d8030a85f950c2ba9a0d4a9&ab_segments=&origin=)

The term cypher and its use in hip-hop culture originates from the Five-Percent Nation, who utilized the term “cypher” to denote circles of people. ( https://www-jstor-org.cooperunion.idm.oclc.org/stable/pdf/20174468.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Aac13ab935aee4f7153cd551afcebaba1&ab_segments=&origin=&acceptTC=1 p. 413)

The onset of breaking prompted dance battles known as cyphers, competitive circles in which participants took turns dancing while surrounded by onlookers. The term cypher and its use in hip-hop culture originates from the Five-Percent Nation, who utilized the term “cypher” to denote circles of people. Crews such as the Rock Steady Crew or  Mighty Zulu Kings began to form, in response to the growth of competitive cyphers, sometimes featuring cash-prizes, titles, and bragging rights. (https://www-jstor-org.cooperunion.idm.oclc.org/stable/pdf/23216052.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Adbe63b379d8030a85f950c2ba9a0d4a9&ab_segments=&origin=)

Breaking started as toprock, footwork-oriented dance moves performed standing up, but as dance crews began to experiment, a separate dance form known as uprock further influenced breaking. Uprock, also known as Brooklyn uprock, is a more aggressive dance style commonly performed between two partners that feature intricate footwork and hitting motions, mimicking a fight. ( https://www-jstor-org.cooperunion.idm.oclc.org/stable/pdf/20174468.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Aac13ab935aee4f7153cd551afcebaba1&ab_segments=&origin=&acceptTC=1 )

Uprock is also stated to have roots in gangs, as an expressive medium used to settle turf disputes. The early growth of breaking additionally served to assist the struggling youth to stray away from gang violence and rather expel their time towards

Music

A musical canon of these traditional b-boy songs have since developed, songs that were once expected to be played at every b-boying event. As the dance form grew, this standardization of classic songs prompted innovation of dance moves and break beats that reimagined the standard melodies. These songs include “Give It Up or Turn It a Loose” by James Brown, “Apache” by the Incredible Bongo Band, and "The Mexican" by Babe Ruth to name a few.
 * Include more on the importance/canon of specific songs
 * Potential to include modern music